Why do we get headaches when switching from a high processed carbohydrate diet to a high protein diet? Many weight loss surgery patients are asking this.
In fact, there are many causes of headaches when following a high-protein, low-carb diet. More importantly, there are many small things we can do to get relief from headaches:
First, when we switch from a processed carbohydrate diet to a protein-rich diet, as recommended by most weight loss surgery (bariatric) doctors and dieticians, we increase our intake of tryptophan. A short list of foods high in tryptophan include cheese, meat, nuts and soy. The ingestion of tryptophan triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, which is thought to be a vasoconstrictor: it constricts our blood vessels. In small amounts it helps us feel good; But in excess to which we are not accustomed, it causes headache.
To balance increased tryptophan (an amino acid – good thing) Intake We should include proper complex carbohydrates in our weight loss surgery Eating pattern: 2B/1B (2 Bite Protein / 1 Bite Carbohydrate), Here are some smart food choices for your weight loss post surgery diet::
carbohydrates,
apple
artichoke
basil
bean sprouts
Beet
Carrot
parsley
Cranberry
Cucumbers
green beans
Rahila
spinach
Squash
thick,
Olive Oil
protein,
lamb
Masur lentils
Tuna
Turkey
Next, we must definitely supplement our diet with essential vitamins and minerals, and to this list I personally include herbal supplements that through centuries of human use have been proven to be beneficial to our health and well-being. Please review the list of supplements:
Feverfew: 200–300 mg daily
Ginger: 1,500 mg taken daily in 3 (500 mg) doses
Magnesium: 1,000 mg a day (WLS post-ops are known to be magnesium deficient)
Calcium with Vitamin D: 1,000 mg daily
Vitamin B6: 50–100 mg daily
vitamin B complex, oral, sublingual, or injectable, as prescribed by your doctor
If you wake up with a headache in the morning, I encourage you to try Emergen-C. I strongly believe that Emergen-C is healthy for us because in one serving you get 60mg magnesium, 200mg potassium; 60mg sodium; 50mg calcium carbonate; (your electrolytes); In addition to vitamins B6 and B12; Vitamin C, Niacin, Thiamin, Zinc, and a few others. Our small gastric bypass and gastric-banded stomach allow this supplement to be rapidly absorbed and not difficult or painful to take. If you haven’t tried Emergen-C, please do. As a note, continue your regular vitamin regimen while taking Emergen-C. Use this water-soluble product to get a little extra nutrition.
If your headaches are chronic and you suspect weight loss surgery plus a high protein diet, please keep a headache diary in an attempt to identify the cause of the headaches. Dr. Alex Duarte suggests keeping an eye out for these things:
Diet – Diet and food allergies are the most prevalent causes of headaches.
Hormones – Fluctuating hormone levels are known to cause frequent headaches.
Weather – Changes in barometric pressure and other weather conditions can trigger headaches.
Stress – a frequent cause of headaches.
Change in routine – Disruption of a regular routine (such as a change in diet) is known to cause headaches.
Dental problems or endodontic surgery known to cause headaches
Sensory stimuli – seeing, smelling and hearing can trigger a headache.
Hypoglycemia causes headache.
Herbal remedies for headaches are, in my opinion, more effective and less disruptive than chemical OTC remedies. Try supplementing your diet with feverfew, ginger, ginkgo biloba, chamomile, capsaicin and/or valerian.
Source by Kaye Bailey
